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1 Corinthians - Moving Toward Maturity
12
Just Wait Till Your Father Gets Home!
From The Message
1 Corinthians 4: 1-4 Don’t imagine us leaders to be something we aren’t. We are servants of Christ,
not his masters. We are guides into God’s most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them.
The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge. It matters very little to me what
you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don’t even rank myself. Comparisons in these
matters are pointless. I’m not aware of anything that would disqualify me from being a good guide for you,
but that doesn’t mean much. The Master makes that judgment.
Most Sublime Secrets______________________________________________
Guides not Guards________________________________________________
Popular Opinion__________________________________________________
5 So don’t get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgments before all the
evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we
never even dreamed of—inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the
“Well done!” of God.
When will all the evidence be in?_____________________________________
Evidence about what?_____________________________________________
The “Well Done” of God____________________________________________
6 All I’m doing right now, friends, is showing how these things pertain to Apollos and me so that you
will learn restraint and not rush into making judgments without knowing all the facts. It’s important to look
at things from God’s point of view. I would rather not see you inflating or deflating reputations based on
mere hearsay.
God’s Point of View_______________________________________________
Mathew 6:33 But seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and everything else will fall into place,
Reference this why?_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
(Now From the NIV)
6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that
you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be
puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7 For who makes you different from
anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as
though you did not?
Beyond What Is Written____________________________________________
Puffed Up_______________________________________________________
Answer the questions._____________________________________________
8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that
without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!
Now Paul is______________________________________________________
9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those
condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to
human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong!
Paul is really_____________________________________________________
You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are
brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless;
when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the
scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
Paul is modeling what it means to____________________________________
14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten
thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father
through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my
son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which
agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
Paul says two important things,______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
(The Message)
18-20 I know there are some among you who are so full of themselves they never listen to anyone, let
alone me. They don’t think I’ll ever show up in person. But I’ll be there sooner than you think, God willing,
and then we’ll see if they’re full of anything but hot air. God’s Way is not a matter of mere talk; it’s an
empowered life.
So Full of Themselves______________________________________________
An Empowered Life________________________________________________
21 So how should I prepare to come to you? As a severe disciplinarian who makes you toe the mark?
Or as a good friend and counselor who wants to share heart-to-heart with you? You decide.
What would your decision be?_______________________________________
(The NIV)
13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not
dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
No matter the subject or situation, will we choose to love?